Indoor cats need active enrichment to prevent boredom, obesity, and behaviour problems. Evidence-based enrichment strategies transform quality of life for cats confined to the home.
Indoor cats who lack adequate enrichment often develop visible welfare problems: obesity, over-grooming, inter-cat aggression, and stress-related lower urinary tract disease. These are not character flaws but predictable responses to environmental inadequacy. The predatory drive is deeply embedded — cats need to stalk, chase, and pounce daily to satisfy this motivation. Interactive wand toy play sessions of 10-15 minutes twice daily, combined with puzzle feeders, scratch posts, and vertical space, provide the core of good indoor cat enrichment. For multi-cat households, providing enough resources (litter trays, feeding stations, resting spots) to prevent competition is equally important.